6of7Joseph Cortez is running for City Council, District 6Photo: Courtesy Photo /Courtesy Photo

7of7Unofficial election results indicate former high school teacher Rick Treviño will most likely face Gina Ortiz Jones in a May 22 runoff election that determines the Democratic candidate for the 23rd Congressional District. Whoever wins that contest will face Republican incumbent Will Hurd in the November general election.Photo: Laredo Morning Times file photo

The race to succeed City Councilman Ray Lopez, who is stepping down in District 6 because of City Charter term limits, has drawn a full field of eight candidates competing to represent an area spanning the city’s northwest quadrant.

City services, traffic congestion, education, the economy and possible annexation or incorporation of the Alamo Ranch subdivisions near Loop 1604 at Culebra Road are among the issues looming in the diverse, fast-growing district, which extends from the near West Side to neighborhoods on the far Northwest Side.

Ropal Anderson, who listed his occupation when filing as a metadata analyst, has discussed efforts to better promote VIA Metropolitan Transit bus service as a way to relieve congestion. He said he has been married for 26 years and has two daughters attending college.

Greg Brockhouse, a Jay High School graduate, served in the Air Force and worked in banking before shifting to business and political consulting. He has served as a chief of staff and constituent services manager for members of the City Council.

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District 6 candidates

Eric Gosset

Age: 26

Occupation: Logistics

Education: Bachelor’s degree in finance from UTSA

Family: Single

Elected or appointed government posts: None

Ricardo “Rick” Treviño

Age: 32

Occupation: Teacher

Education: Bachelor’s degree in political science from UTSA; master’s in educational leadership from Trinity University

Family: No children; in a relationship with Monica Juarez

Elected or appointed government posts: Former secretary, Bexar County Democratic Party

Melissa Cabello Havrda

Age: 42

Occupation: Attorney

Education: Attended Taft High School; bachelor’s degree in political science from St. Mary’s University; Juris Doctor from St. Mary’s School of Law; MBA from UTSA

Family: Married to Jason Havrda, an administrator at Jones Middle School; three children

Elected or appointed government posts: None

Joseph Cortez

Age: 33

Occupation: Consultant

Education: Graduate of Central Catholic High School; bachelor’s in political science from UTSA; master’s in political science from St. Mary’s University

Family: Married

Elected or appointed government posts: Former senior policy adviser for current Councilman Ray Lopez

Ropal Anderson

Age: 47

Occupation: Metadata analyst

Education: Bachelor’s degree in accounting from UTSA

Family: Married; two daughters

Elected or appointed government posts: None

Greg Brockhouse

Age: 44

Occupation: Self-employed

Education: Bachelor’s degree from Texas State University; completed the Certified Public Manager program at the Hobby Center for Public Service at Texas State

Family: Married to Annalisa Brockhouse; five children

Elected or appointed government posts: None

Robert Castañeda

Age: 41

Occupation: Payroll analyst

Don Page

Age: 55

Occupation: Retired pastor

Education: Bachelor’s degree in computer information systems from St. Mary’s University

Family: Married for 35 years to Rosiland (Denard) Page, early childhood teacher in the San Antonio Independent School District; two grown children.

Elected or appointed government posts: None

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On his campaign website, he vowed to “never stop listening to what matters most to those in our community” and to work as a “humble fighter whose main goal is to deliver exactly what the community wants.” He has focused on public safety, streets and sidewalks, neighborhoods, jobs, education and care for seniors.

Robert Castañeda listed his employment as a payroll analyst in filing documents and indicated that he has lived for nearly 27 years in District 6. He did not respond to requests for more information.

Joseph Cortez, a former senior policy adviser for Lopez, is a graduate of Central Catholic High School and has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science. He has billed himself as the most qualified candidate, with a background in city government and policy issues.

His campaign website lists an endorsement from Lopez in the race and says Cortez is “fully prepared to hit the ground running on day one” if elected. His campaign has focused on public safety, education, job creation and training, transportation and funding for senior centers.

Eric Gosset, with a degree in finance and past work in logistics, said his background includes “the experiences needed to represent the growing needs of District 6.” Gosset, who is single, vowed to make council service “my full-time job” and be “a proven, self-disciplined representative that will go above and beyond for District 6.”

Because of its size and population, the district needs an energetic voice on the council, he said. He has emphasized efforts to maintain streets and sidewalks, steer youths toward positive outcomes and help the homeless re-enter the workforce.

Melissa Cabello Havrda, an attorney specializing in federal disability laws, is married and has three children. Her campaign has focused on public safety, streets, sidewalks and efforts to attract jobs with competitive salaries. According to her website, she has fought as an attorney “for the rights of working families, helping senior citizens and the disabled secure their Social Security benefits.” She has talked about her leadership abilities and past work in city constituent services, monitoring city contracts and helping taxpayers get speed bumps on busy streets.

Don Page, a retired pastor who founded Faith Community Baptist Church in 2008, has promised, if elected, to “continue to fight for needs of the least among us, and to serve people from every portion of our diverse community.” In a statement, he said he has helped maintain a partnership with local shelters and nonprofits, enabling his church to “impact thousands challenged by homelessness in the San Antonio area.”

Ricardo “Rick” Treviño, a U.S. history and geography teacher at Sam Houston High School since 2012, has promoted a three-pronged platform to seek to raise salaries in the district to a “living wage,” empower neighborhoods and improve ethics at City Hall.

On his campaign website, he has said he would continue his “civic work and advocacy on behalf of the city’s most vulnerable individuals.” The Laredo native has vowed to “fight for working families” and help “build a better future for our children and families.”

Scott Huddleston is a veteran staff writer at the San Antonio Express-News covering Bexar County Commissioners Court and county government.

He has been a reporter at the Express-News since 1985, covering a variety of issues, including public safety, flooding, transportation, military and veterans affairs, history and local government.

Huddleston covered the final construction phase of the SBC Center -- now AT&T Center, where the Spurs play -- in 2002, and wrote "Then&Now," a weekly historical feature, for the Sunday Metro section from 2001-2006.